


Xanadu

by Spikedluv



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), American Idol RPF, Kris Allen (Musician)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossdressing, Humor, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-29
Updated: 2011-01-29
Packaged: 2017-10-15 05:28:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/157496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spikedluv/pseuds/Spikedluv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kris went to LA to get his gay on; it was just his luck that the first person he was attracted to turned out to be a woman.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Xanadu

**Author's Note:**

> Written for kradam_kiss using Anon’s prompt: There needs to be more fic with Kris mistaking drag!Adam for a girl and only realizing he's got a "surprise under his skirt" when they're already in a heated make-out session.
> 
> Written: January 2, 2011

Kris Allen was brand new to Xanadu.

He’d been in LA for two months now, working two part-time jobs (mornings at Kelly’s Coffee Bean, afternoons and some evenings at Sit A Spell, a small independently owned bookstore that offered new and used books, as well as the most comfortable reading area Kris had ever seen – he’d once fallen asleep there while reading the paper during his dinner break) and looking for paying music gigs, when Megan told him about the opening for a bartender at Xanadu that she’d heard about from a friend of a friend.

Kris hadn’t tended bar in years, not since he’d quit college, but he remembered the tips quite fondly. He expected that he could make even better tips in LA, and with Megan’s encouragement, Kris called during his break to ask about the position. Kris was put on hold long enough for him to think he’d been forgotten, and then his call was picked up with a breathless apology.

“Sorry, sorry, the deliveries were late today, and, well, that’s not your problem. You’re calling about the bartender position?”

“Yes,” Kris said.

“Can you come in for an interview?”

“Of course,” Kris said, and after explaining his work schedule, was told to come in after his shift that evening.

“Okay, just ask for Adam . . . oh, er, I won’t . . . just ask for Cassidy, I’ll make sure he knows you’re coming in.”

“Alright, thank you,” Kris said, but by then he was talking to a dial tone.

He disconnected and then smiled at Megan, who squealed and hugged him. “You got it!”

“It’s just an interview,” he reminded her, but Megan just gave him an enigmatic smile and said, “Oh, honey, they’re going to love you over there.”

While he was in the backroom of the bookstore checking deliveries against both the shipping manifest and their copy of the order, Kris let himself wonder if he’d be able to get rid of his job at the coffee shop if he got this bartender position.

When Kris arrived at Xanadu there was already a short line forming outside the door. Kris walked up to the front and told the bouncer that he was there for an interview and that Cassidy was expecting him. He nodded to indicate that he’d heard Kris, then raised his wrist to his mouth and spoke into his . . . watch?

“Yo, Tommy, someone’s here to see Cassidy.”

Kris didn’t hear the reply, but he was told that someone would be with him shortly. A few minutes later, a guy who’s hair was mostly blond appeared.

“Got him from here, Terrence,” the man who Kris presumed was Tommy said, and led Kris through the club to the office in the back.

Tommy knocked on the door, poked his head inside, and then ushered Kris through before closing the door behind him. A slender man, Cassidy, Kris presumed, lounged on the couch, and the most gorgeous woman Kris had ever seen sat on the desk, leaning back on her hands, one leg crossed over the other. Kris’ gaze was drawn to the bare skin of her thigh visible through the side slit in the skirt of her dress.

Kris jerked his eyes away when the man rose and held out his hand. “Cassidy Haley. You must be Kris.”

“Mr. Haley, pleased to meet you. Yes, Kris Allen. With a ‘k’. Kris, not Allen.”

Cassidy’s lips twitched.

“That was probably obvious,” Kris said, wishing he had a rewind button on his mouth.

“He’s hired,” the woman announced. “That southern accent alone will bring in more business.”

Cassidy rolled his eyes as Kris fought back a flush.

“Cassidy, please,” Cassidy said to Kris, and then indicated the woman. “Let me introduce my partner . . . Adele.”

Kris made his legs work and went over to the desk. He took the hand Adele offered him and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“Oh, honey, the pleasure is all mine,” Adele said. She held Kris’ hand between both of hers for a couple seconds longer than was strictly polite, and Kris blushed under the intensity of her regard.

“Can’t we keep him?” she said to Cassidy. “He’s so cute!”

“We need more than a cute face and a sexy southern accent,” Cassidy said wryly.

Adele pouted. “Why?”

“He needs to know how to tend bar,” Cassidy said, and then turned thoughtful. “Unless you want to apply as a dancer.”

“Dancer?” Kris said.

“Cage dancer,” Adele explained. “Lots of baby oil and a tight pair of shorts. Or a thong.” Her eyes moved down to Kris’ hips.

Kris remembered seeing the cages as he’d walked through the club, and he shook his head emphatically before she’d finished speaking.

“No?” Adele said, sounding disappointed.

“No, sorry,” Kris said, though he wasn’t sure why he felt the need to apologize.

Adele leaned forward. “Do you know how to tend bar, sweetie?”

“Um, yes?”

“Fabulous, you’re hired!”

“Adele,” Cassidy said without any heat.

Adele sniffed. “Fine, conduct your silly interview.”

“Kris, please have a seat,” Cassidy said, indicating one of the chairs in front of the desk as he walked around the desk and took a seat in the chair behind it.

Kris sat, blushing again when Adele swung her leg and touched the toe of her black suede heel to Kris’ knee. Before Cassidy could say anything, Adele slid off the desk and moved over to the couch. Kris watched her settle into the corner, re-crossing her impossibly long legs, before he turned his attention to Cassidy and the interview he’d come here for.

The interview was like no other interview Kris had sat through. By the time he’d finished, Kris had told Cassidy and Adele about moving to LA to focus on his music, and working two jobs, and how his mama still called him every night because she worried about him, and finally about the months he’d spent working at a bar when he was in college.

When Kris finished answering all their questions (Kris wasn’t sure how whether he was seeing anyone was relevant, but whatever), Cassidy glanced over at Adele and shook his head. “Fine, he’s hired.”

Adele made a happy sound that made Kris smile, and clapped her hands.

“Probationary,” Cassidy cautioned Kris, “until we see how you work out. We get pretty busy, especially on the weekends, and if you can’t keep up we can’t use you.”

Kris nodded enthusiastically. Conway wasn’t LA, and Kelly’s Coffee Bean wasn’t Xanadu, but Kris wasn’t unfamiliar with having to move quickly. Uncaffeinated people could be _vicious_.

Cassidy opened a drawer and drew out an application which he slid across the desk to Kris.

“When can you start?” Cassidy asked as he handed a pen to Kris.

“Tonight,” Kris said as he skimmed the application.

“Who’s on tonight?” Cassidy mused.

“Allison,” Adele said immediately.

“Maybe just a few hours,” Cassidy said, “to give you a feel for what you’re getting into, and then I’ll see about adding you to the schedule.”

“You’ll be in good hands with Alli,” Adele said. “She’ll show you the ropes.”

When Kris finished with the application Cassidy glanced at it, then turned him over to Adele, who led him out of the quiet office and into the noisy club.

Kris got a look at Allison as he followed Adele to the bar (but only because he made a conscious effort not to stare at Adele’s ass). She seemed to wear a constant smile, and her hair was a brilliant red, interspersed with purple and blue.

“Adele!” Allison cried as soon as she saw them.

Adele opened her arms and Allison rushed into them. “How you doing, baby?”

“Good, good,” Allison said. “You?”

“Fantastic,” Adele said, and they both shared a grin.

“Who’s the cutie pie?” Allison asked as she looked over Adele’s shoulder.

“This is Kris, with a ‘k’, our new bartender,” Adele said as she reached back and drew Kris forward.

“Hi, Kris!” Allison said, smiling at him as she held out her hand.

“Hi,” Kris said, unable to resist smiling back.

“We’re putting him in your capable hands for a couple of hours so you can show him the ropes and he can get a feel for what a madhouse it can be back here,” Adele said.

“Awesome!”

“Okay,” Adele told Kris, “Alli will take good care of you.” She squeezed Kris’ arm. “I’ll come check on you later, before I go on.”

“Okay,” Kris said, then watched Adele walk away after she kissed Allison on the cheek.

Allison was smirking at him when he turned back to her. He blushed, and she laughed.

“Adele sure is something,” she teased, voicing Kris’ thoughts.

“Yeah,” Kris agreed. “What did she mean by, before she went on?”

Allison inclined her head towards the stage that Kris hadn’t noticed until that moment. “She sings.”

Kris was already sinking fast; his only hope was that she sang badly.

Kris was kept too busy for the next hour to think about blue eyes or long legs until Adele appeared at the bar. Kris started when he saw her standing there and nearly dropped the soapy glass he’d just washed.

Adele just grinned at him. “How’s it going, sweetie?”

“Good,” Kris said. “Thank you for, you know, giving me a chance.”

Adele patted Kris’ hand. “You’re welcome.”

Kris was struck anew by Adele’s beauty, and he stared after her as she walked way. Until she stopped to speak with Cassidy and he caught Kris’ eye. Kris tore his gaze from Adele and found Allison staring at him. She shook her head and grinned as Kris ducked his head and got back to work.

A few minutes later Adele took the stage and greeted her audience. She settled on the stool and smiled at the man behind the piano. From the moment Adele opened her mouth Kris was spellbound. And completely and utterly screwed.

He’d never heard anyone sing as well as Adele. She hit notes that Kris hadn’t even known existed.

Kris managed to get some work done, but he wasn’t sure how. Allison had to elbow him twice so that Kris could reluctantly drag his attention away from the stage. Eventually Kris got into a zone where he could take orders, pour and mix, and make change all while keeping one eye on Adele.

After Adele finished her set, Kris watched her progress through the club. It didn’t take long for Kris to determine that she was on a path to the bar, though she was delayed by having to stop and talk with all of her admirers. Kris made a mug of tea with honey for her, and when Adele finally leaned against the bar Kris placed it in front of her.

Adele stared at the mug for a second, and then raised black-lined eyes to Kris. “What’s this?” she asked kindly.

“Tea,” Kris said, reaching up and touching his own throat, “for your throat.”

Adele looked like she was trying to find a polite way to tell Kris that she didn’t want the tea.

“Sorry,” Kris said, feeling like a complete idiot. He reached out to remove the mug. “You don’t want tea. What can I get you?”

Adele covered Kris’ hand with her own, stilling it. “I want the tea.”

“You don’t; I can get you something else.”

“Kristopher.”

Kris raised his eyes and looked at Adele’s face, and she smiled at him. “I want the tea.”

“Okay,” Kris said, as his knees went weak.

“It’s very sweet,” Adele said, and then she leaned across the bar and pressed a kiss to the corner of Kris’ mouth. She took the mug and carried it back to the office with her.

Kris closed his eyes and forced himself not to watch her walk away.

“Someone’s smitten,” Allison said, startling Kris out of his dream state.

Completely and _utterly_ screwed.

Kris had left Arkansas for the bright lights of LA because he wanted to pursue his music, but also because, while he’d come out to his family and friends, he’d only been gay in theory up to that point (aside from one drunken blow job), and he figured the opportunities to embrace his gay would be better in LA than in Conway.

But once he got to LA Kris had been more concerned with making enough money to pay rent on his crappy little apartment, and finding opportunities to play his music than exploring his gay dating options. It was just his luck that the first person he’d been attracted to since coming to LA turned out to be a woman. The irony of the entire situation was not lost on Kris. He was a _horrible_ gay!

Not long after Kris’ great revelation, Adele reappeared. “Come on, honey,” she said to Kris.

Kris looked between Adele and Allison; he didn’t want to leave her alone behind the bar. “Are you sure?”

“It’s fine,” Allison assured him.

“How’d he do?” Adele asked her.

“He did great,” Allison said. “Except for how he got distracted a couple of times. Can’t imagine what that was about.”

Kris blushed down to his toes, but Adele just laughed.

“Don’t tease him,” Adele told Allison. “That’s my job.”

Adele led Kris back to the office and this time Kris didn’t bother trying to keep his gaze from straying below her waist. Adele unlocked the office door and stepped inside ahead of Kris, then gestured for him to enter and closed the door behind them.

“Have a seat,” Adele said, and motioned towards the sofa.

Kris wiped his hands on the rear of his jeans as he walked over to the sofa. He sat and kept his eyes on Adele who moved around behind the desk and bent down to open the bottom drawer. She straightened with a smile for Kris as she brandished a bottle.

“Cassidy keeps a bottle of the good stuff back here,” she explained as she fished two glass tumblers out of drawer as well.

Adele kicked the drawer shut, and then carried the bottle and glasses over to the sofa and sat beside Kris. She set the glasses on the coffee table and poured an inch of amber liquid into both. Kris’ eyes were drawn to the short blue nails at the tips of her fingers as Adele handed him one of the glasses. For the first time he noticed the freckles on her hand. Kris took the proffered glass with one hand as he stroked the thumb of his other over Adele’s hand.

“Sorry,” Kris said when realized what he was doing. “You have freckles,” he said dumbly.

Adele looked like she wanted to hide her hand. “I know, I hate them.”

“Really? Why? I like them,” Kris said, and then blushed (again!) at his forwardness.

“That’s sweet, thank you.”

“I didn’t say it to be sweet,” Kris said.

“Oh, I know, honey, that’s what makes it sweet.”

Adele picked up the other glass and raised it to Kris. Kris raised his own glass as well.

“To cute southern boys,” Adele toasted, and clinked the rim of her glass to Kris’.

Kris was glad he was already flushed, so any additional blush heating his skin wasn’t as noticeable. Feeling equally brave and flustered, Kris offered his own toast.

“To gorgeous blue eyes and long legs.”

Kris was happy he’d said it, though, when Adele’s eyes brightened.

“Well, aren’t you the sweet talker,” she teased.

“It’s just the truth,” Kris muttered.

Adele reached out and pressed her fingers beneath Kris’ chin. She raised his face, and then leaned in and gently pressed her lips to his. “Thank you,” she said.

Kris’ breath caught in his throat, and he kicked himself for being slow and not returning the kiss. He hoped Adele knew that he’d wanted to.

Adele leaned back and crossed her legs. “So, Kris from Arkansas, tell me something about yourself.”

Kris had to drag his gaze away from Adele’s legs. He needed a moment to collect himself, so he took a quick drink and ended up choking on it.

Adele patted his back. “You okay?”

Kris nodded, then said, “Yeah,” once he’d stopped coughing. He set his glass on the coffee table so he didn’t further embarrass himself, then wiped his palms on his thighs. “What do you want to know?”

“What did you go to college for?” Adele said, starting him off with an easy one.

Kris answered the question and after a few starts and stops the conversation flowed easily from there. When he wasn’t trying to keep from getting caught staring at her, Adele was actually quite easy to talk to. Kris finished his drink and Adele refilled his glass. He even managed to make Adele laugh without it being at his own expense. The longer they talked the more comfortable Kris became. It turned out that he and Adele had a lot in common.

They’d been naming some of their favorite songs and arguing over which Michael Jackson song was his best when Adele said, “You said you came to LA for your music?”

Kris nodded.

“You sing?”

“Yeah, but . . . not like you do. I mean, your voice is _amazing_.”

Adele just stared at him for a very long second that made Kris wonder if he’d said the wrong thing, and then she said, “I’m going to kiss you now.”

Kris made a little sound in the back of his throat and his eyes dropped to Adele’s lips. She set her glass down and then removed Kris’ glass from nerveless fingers. She slid one hand around the back of Kris’ neck and drew him in as she leaned forward. Their lips met in an open mouthed kiss, and she slipped her tongue between Kris’ lips. Kris touched his tongue to Adele’s, and then reached out for her, his hand settling on her hip.

Kris slid his hand down until he found the slit in her skirt. Adele moaned into Kris’ mouth as he worked his fingers beneath the material and found the bare skin of her thigh. They kissed until Kris was lightheaded from lack of oxygen, and when they broke apart it was only so Adele could leave a trail of kisses along Kris’ jaw and down his throat.

Kris moved his hand down to Adele’s knee, though he hesitated to touch her more intimately. Adele didn’t share his hesitance; she dropped her hand into Kris’ lap and gave him a gentle squeeze.

Kris swore softly as he pushed into Adele’s hand, his own fingers tightening on her knee. Adele rubbed him with her palm and very slowly, very deliberately parted her knees enough for Kris to insinuate his hand between them.

Kris drew back reluctantly until Adele’s lips no longer touched his skin, and then ducked his head so he could capture her lips with his own. Kris licked into Adele’s mouth as he stroked his fingers up the inside of her thigh.

“Kris, baby,” Adele said as she bit at Kris’ lips, “please.”

As Adele sucked on his tongue and stroked him through his jeans, Kris became more desperate to touch her. He skimmed his fingers over thin nylon and bare skin until his knuckles brushed her most intimate place. He pressed his palm against her and stroked, wishing that he could get his fingers around her.

It took Kris a few seconds to realize that he hadn’t found the moist heat he’d expected. He did try to curl his fingers around her then. Kris dragged his mouth away from Adele’s and buried his face in her neck.

“Adele,” Kris groaned. “Is this . . . ? Please tell me . . . .”

Kris didn’t finish a sentence, much less wait for her to answer. He shoved his hand inside her panties and found the hard length of her cock. Adele dropped her head back on the couch, biting her bottom lip and moaning as Kris stroked her. She hadn’t removed her hand from Kris, and they both moved their hips, pushing into the others’ hand.

“Oh god,” Kris groaned, “this is so hot.”

Adele’s eyelids fluttered open and she looked at Kris with blown pupils. She glanced down at Kris’ lips, and Kris obeyed her silent command, eagerly licking into her mouth.

The arousal had been slowly building inside him since he’d first laid eyes on Adele, and now he was burning with it. The feel of Adele’s cock in his hand, the sound of her moans as he touched her only added fuel to the fire. Kris’ relief and joy at finding cock beneath Adele’s skirt added a desperate edge to his need.

Kris swiped his thumb through the pre-come moistening the tip of her cock. Adele whined a protest when Kris released her, but she obediently parted her lips to Kris’ thumb.

“I want to suck you,” Kris said as Adele sucked her come off his thumb.

Adele moaned as Kris pushed his thumb deeper into her mouth.

“Can I?”

Adele sucked harder as her fingers massaged Kris’ balls through the denim.

“Yeah,” Kris sighed as he replaced his thumb with his tongue, licking the taste of her out of her mouth.

Kris reluctantly released Adele’s mouth, licking the freckles on her bottom lip before he climbed off the couch and knelt on the floor between her knees. He hit the coffee table and knocked it back, not even caring when the bottle fell over and rolled off onto the floor.

Kris pushed the long skirt of Adele’s dress up, exposing silky nylon that ended at her upper thigh, and soft, pale skin. Kris pressed her legs apart and brushed his lips over the freckles on her inner thigh.

Kris nuzzled Adele through her panties, then opened his mouth and tongued her through the silk. Adele buried her fingers in Kris’ hair and rolled her hips, pushing against his face as she gasped out his name.

Kris looked up at Adele through his lashes as he slipped his hands beneath her skirt and hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties. Adele lifted up as Kris drew the silk down over her hips until they pooled at her ankles.

Adele whimpered when Kris circled his fingers around her ankles and slowly dragged his hands back up shapely calves and tight thighs as his tongue lapped at her balls. Adele flexed her fingers against the back of Kris’ skull and pulled at his hair.

Kris mouthed his way up her cock and took the head onto his tongue and suckled it. Kris reluctantly took his hands off Adele’s legs. He reached between her thighs and rolled her balls in his fingers. He wrapped his other hand around the base of her cock and jacked her as he moved his mouth on her.

“Fuck,” Adele swore, her voice gone deep and husky, her hand clutching at Kris’ shoulder, “oh fuck, baby.”

Kris hummed around her, his own cock pressing uncomfortably against his jeans as Adele rocked her hips and tried to push more deeply into Kris’ mouth. Kris held Adele in his palm as he worked his fingers back further, touching a strip of smooth skin, and then the puckered skin around her entrance.

Adele made a strangled sound deep in her throat and her hips jerked once. Kris swallowed as she pulsed on his tongue and filled his mouth with her come. He held her in his mouth as she softened, suckling her clean until Adele plucked weakly at Kris’ shirt.

Kris let her slip from his mouth and surged up. He climbed onto the couch, straddling her lap, and kissed her. Adele covered Kris’ back with her hands and opened her mouth to his tongue. She shoved one hand between them and squeezed him, then tore at his fly. Kris pushed against her hand until she bit his tongue and commanded him to hold still.

Kris whined, but did as she’d asked, moaning in relief when she pushed her hand inside his pants and stroked him. This time when Kris’ hips moved Adele allowed it, encouraged it.

“That’s it, baby, fuck my hand,” she said against his ear.

Kris made an embarrassing sound as he thrust faster. He’d been balanced on the knife’s edge for so long it was almost a surprise when the heat coiled at the base of his spine and the fireworks went off behind his eyes. He managed somehow to curl his fingers around Adele’s hand as he spurted his release into it.

Kris mouthed at Adele’s neck as he slowly recovered from his orgasm. Eventually she nudged him with her shoulder.

“Can you let go of my hand a sec?”

Kris shook his head and mumbled, “Don’t wanna get your dress.”

When Adele didn’t reply Kris raised his head to look at her and wished he hadn’t, because she was looking back at him as if he was a cute little puppy.

“Don’t say it,” Kris groaned as he let his face find the crook of her neck again, but of course she ignored him.

“That’s so sweet,” she said, smiling. “That’s okay, I like sweet southern boys,” Adele added as she rubbed Kris’ back.

Kris tilted his head and looked at her suspiciously until he was sure she wasn’t teasing him. “Oh,” he said, blushing. “Okay, then.”

Adele laughed. “You’re adorable.”

Before Kris could complain about that she indicated the end table. “Could you grab the tissues then?”

Kris did, and they cleaned up. Kris drew Adele’s panties up her legs, his fingers lingering of their own volition. Adele took over straightening her clothes and Kris tucked himself in and did up his own fly. When he was done Kris looked up to see Adele regarding him thoughtfully.

“We need to talk,” she said, speaking softly.

Kris knew immediately what she was referring to. He shook his head.

Adele patted the cushion beside her.

“No, we really don’t,” Kris insisted.

Adele crossed her legs and let the skirt fall to the side, exposing the bare skin of her upper thigh. Kris’ gaze was immediately ensnared. He pouted when he realized that she’d outsmarted him. “That’s cheating.”

Adele just smiled and patted the cushion again. Kris sighed and sat beside her.

“So . . . ,” she began.

“I’m sorry!” Kris burst out, covering his face with both hands. “It’s just, you’re so _gorgeous_ , how was I supposed to know?”

Adele drew Kris’ hands away from his face. “No, I’m sorry. I’m so used to everyone here knowing that it never even occurred to me you didn’t.”

“All’s well that ends well?” Kris said, hoping to cut their conversation short.

“Yes, it did end well, didn’t it?” Adele drawled.

Kris hid his blush by looking at their joined hands. He took Adele’s into his own and studied the freckles on the back of them.

“Want to explain to me why that was?”

Kris shook his head; Adele nudged him with her shoulder.

“Please?”

“I’m _gay_ ,” Kris said, sounding more defensive than he’d meant to.

“Okay. Good?”

“And I thought you were a woman. A very sexy woman.”

“Ahh,” Adele said. “Sexual identity crisis?”

“You have no idea!” Kris said, putting all the relief he’d felt into it.

Kris glanced up at Adele when she didn’t reply right away and saw the corners of her lips twitch.

“Are you laughing at me?”

“Trying very hard not to,” she admitted.

Kris wanted to be mad at her, but before he could work up any heat she dragged him onto her lap. Kris squeaked and reached out to grab onto her shoulders.

“I could make it up to you,” she purred.

“How?” Kris said, unwilling to let her off the hook too easily.

“I’m going to take you home with me,” she said, sounding all too sure of herself.

(Kris didn’t bother pointing that out, since he figured he was pretty much a sure thing at this point.)

“I’m going to strip you naked and spread you out across my bed,” Adele continued as she stroked her fingers over the inside of Kris’ knee, making him squirm a little bit.

“I’m going to open you up with my tongue . . . .” Kris’ breath caught. “. . . and then my fingers . . . .” Kris whimpered as he imagined the burn as he stretched around Adele’s fingers. “. . . and then I’m going to fuck you.”

“Okay,” Kris said, and then he kissed her again.

Kris didn’t have any idea how long they sat there making out, but they were rudely interrupted by a pounding on the door.

“Oops,” Adele said, smiling at Kris as if they shared a secret, “I guess Cassidy wants his office back.”

Heat swept over Kris’ cheeks. “He’s been out there this whole time?”

“Well, not listening at the door,” Adele said. And then she considered it. “I don’t think.”

She laughed at the expression on Kris’ face.

“Oh my god,” he said. “Everyone out there knows what we’ve been doing back here?”

“Of course not,” Adele assured him. “Just Cassidy. And probably Allison.”

“Oh my god,” Kris repeated, and dropped his forehead onto Adele’s shoulder.

She patted his back, but the comfort she offered was lost in the vibration of her laughter against his chest.

“You suck,” Kris muttered.

“We can do that, too,” she offered.

Kris was only mollified a little bit. “You are an evil, evil woman.” Which reminded him. “Okay, this is probably going to sound really stupid and ignorant and rude and . . . .”

“Just ask,” Adele said gently.

“Are you always Adele? I mean, I don’t really know what I mean, I . . . .”

“No,” Adele said. “I don’t dress like this all the time. Just sometimes when I sing, and sometimes when I go out.”

“Okay, um, who are you when you’re not Adele?”

“Adam,” she said.

“Adam,” Kris repeated, and wondered what Adam would look like. He’d still have the freckles and the pretty blue eyes and the long legs . . . . “Oh, hey, did I talk to you this afternoon?”

“Mmm, and I was dying to meet you from the moment I heard your voice.”

“You were?”

She smiled. “And then you turned out to be even better than I’d imagined. And you can trust me when I tell you that I imagined _plenty_.”

Kris blushed. “You have to stop saying things like that.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” Adele said, which Kris figured meant no.

There was another knock at the door and Adele yelled, “Coming!” and then they both looked at each other and snickered.

“What are you, twelve?” Adele said.

“Me? What about you?”

“Twelve inches, maybe,” she said, and Kris snorted as she pushed him off her lap. “Go get the door, would you, baby?”

“You wish,” he said as he headed for the door. The smile fell off his face when he opened the door and faced an irritated Cassidy.

“You two finished?” he asked wryly.

Kris rubbed the back of his neck. “Uh, sorry?”

“Leave him alone,” Adele said as she came up behind him, a wrap around her shoulders, and dragged him out the door past Cassidy, “he’s sweet.”

Kris groaned, then had a thought. “This doesn’t mean I’m fired, does it?”

“Of course not,” Adele said as she led Kris down the hallway to the backdoor. “Why?”

“Well, you’re my boss, and we just . . . .”

“Are you going to skim money?”

“What, no?”

“Then we’re good,” she said as she took Kris’ hand. “Although I do want to hear you sing tomorrow. If you’re any good we might give you a couple of nights. We lost one of our singers when she decided to join a monastery.”

“A monastery, really? And really, you want to hear me sing?” Kris said excitedly.

“Of course I want to hear you sing. I bet you’ve got a great voice. Anyway, have you ever worn a dress before?”

“No. Why?” Kris said distrustfully.

“Oh, don’t worry; we’ll talk about it tomorrow,” Adele said as she hustled him out of the club.

Kris thought he should be afraid, very afraid; Adele could probably talk him into doing anything she wanted him to with just her sweet tongue and a glimpse of thigh.

The End


End file.
